Dave Canales reaffirms faith in Bryce Young despite Week 2 horror show

Dave Canales suffered a baptism of fire in Week 1 at the New Orleans Saints. The head coach saw his team pummeled versus a divisional rival to cement their rock-bottom status around the league. He doesn't want this to be the standard moving forward, so nothing but improved commitment and execution would do during their regular-season home opener against the Los Angeles Chargers.

Canales was coming up versus one of the most experienced and accomplished head coaches around. Jim Harbaugh is back in the NFL after guiding the Michigan Wolverines to a college football national championship in 2023. He's a master tactician and ruthless in his execution. Couple this with the Panthers' new man at the helm being outcoached by Dennis Allen in Week 1, and it wasn't hard to see where the complications could arise.

The Panthers didn't do enough to mount any sort of challenge to the Chargers en route to another abysmal loss. It was also another game to forget for quarterback Bryce Young, who continues to go through significant issues and is lacking the confidence needed to become a difference-maker under center.

Young never looked comfortable. He's hesitant in the pocket and is making poor choices. There wasn't much faith in the signal-caller from Canales' play-calling, which was uninspired with almost no shots downfield.

Carolina Panthers are keeping faith with quarterback Bryce Young

Fans made their feelings clear before walking out of Bank of America Stadium long before the contest concluded. Young suffered more hardship than most, completing 69.23 percent of his passes for just 84 yards, zero touchdowns, and an interception. He was sacked twice and achieved a low passer rating of 57.2 as a result of his efforts.

It didn't take long for the calls to take Young out of the firing line and put veteran backup Andy Dalton into the mix. These were deafening with every errant throw. Joe Person of The Athletic even hinted that Canales was doing the Heisman Trophy winner a long-term disservice by keeping him out there when his belief was unrecognizable from what we saw in college.

Canales was inevitably asked about what the future holds for Young following the clash. The former Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive coordinator reaffirmed his faith in the Alabama product and wants this team to continue taking the next steps, whatever they might be.

"Bryce [Young] is our quarterback. I'd love to see this thing continue to take the next steps offensively right now."

- Dave Canales

This is a catch-22 situation for Canales. One of the big reasons why he got the head coaching gig was his previous ability to help struggling quarterbacks get back on track. Benching his big project after just two games is a bad look regarding his teaching methods.

Canales is trusting his process and genuinely believes Young provides the Panthers with the best opportunity to win. He sees how hard he's working behind the scenes, but the body language suggests this is a player whose morale has gone almost past the point of no return.

Saving Young from himself should be considered. Much was made about who made the final call to draft him over C.J. Stroud or Anthony Richardson. But the tipping point is fast approaching.

For some, it's already arrived.

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